ATP 500, 250: Memphis, Marseille, Buenos Aires

wow real gutsy stuff from both players but tsonga pulls through!

wow real gutsy stuff from both players but tsonga pulls through!

And Tsonga does a Houdini and pulls through by the skin of his teeth. Feel sorry for Tomic, but still a good result, QF.
Nice to see Tsonga smile and do his jumpy dance after a long time

Berdych JJ next, should be very good!

noleisthebest wrote:I cant believe I'm sayin' it, but the crowd could be a bit more passionate

Despite being lucky in a way (Tsonga saving 4 MPs)...he is the deservedly winner. Tomic saved 8 virtual MPs (BPs) and Tsonga won more points 105/114.

But it's good to see Tomic making it difficult for another top 10. Really needs to improve his mouvement though.

Tsonga was actually playing well..not standing too far back like the past....so looks like his hard woirk with Roger is paying off.

JJ vs Berd, tough one to call, I reckon three close sets.
Tsonga just fended the "young" one off, see if Berd, the "old guard" can do the same!

Allez JJ...Get your excuses out first...

Off to play myself.

Tenez wrote:Allez JJ...Get your excuses out first...

Off to play myself.

I dodged mine today. Too cold and too windy. Have fun

bird takes the first set 6-3, going with serve in the 2nd.

Just started watching. First time to see JJ after HOW MANY TIIIIIIIIMES

Ljubicic in the crowd!

Fantastic TB from JJ, he takes the 2nd set 7:0 with a ripping return!
Moves really well, you wouldn't know he's taller than Berd.
Berd, looks blisfully calm and happy....the man is in

And just like Tsonga, Berdie wins the battle for Oldies and sends JJ packing home. Good show from JJ.

Has anyone seen The Party & Berdie nam-nam?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajMqhpCBPAY

Simon Delpo next.

What fantastic game from Simon to break Delpo in the 2nd set, I really love the way he absorbs everything Delpo blasts at him and returns it so elegantly with first class placement

ok...joining in...but surely delpo is not trying too hard.

I can reassure you he ain't tanking either! Simon is playing really well, so good to see him like this.

And Simon does it, great match and a great win 6;4 6:3

SF (1 PM)
Berdych-Tursunov
Tsonga-Simon

Yes Simon played well there for the bit I saw. The pace of the court suits him....but doesn't suit Delpo.

Having a little peek at Jack Sock playing for SF in Memphis against Deliciano Lopez.
Heis 20, the latest American hope, and has knocked to Raonic and Blake here so far. I thought he was really tall but looks the same height or shorter than Lopez.
Plenty of antics even before he got to the net, where he kept everyone wait for ages while fiddling with his stuff.
Then stretching a bit over the top during the coin toss....why can't they just stand still with some digniity..
That aside, what a surname!
Lopez with a new look: short hair and a beard....

Strange player, Sock...almost neurotic:everything about him is ultra fast, aggressive and hyper-testosterone...classic American school, incl the back to front baseball cap....I think I've seen enough, off to bed I go

The finals tomorrow:

Marseille
Tsonga-Berdych

Memphis
Nishikori-Lopez

Buenos Aires
Ferrer-Wawrinka

The finals tomorrow:

Marseille
Tsonga-Berdych : I think its going to be Berdych. Tsonga is good but Berdych handles him well. But the crowd can tilt it in Tsonga's favour.

Memphis
Nishikori-Lopez

I'm for Nishikori winning his 2nd ATP500 title. Lopez's backhand wasn't exploited well by Sock, but Nishikori will make sure he doesit.

Buenos Aires
Ferrer-Wawrinka

Tough one. But Ferrer is the likely winner but I will love to see Wawrinka of AO 2013 R4. Its long time since Stan has won a title, perhaps he might be the hungrier of the two.

Marseille final hotting up nicely, one set all, with Tsonga equalising in the tie-break, saving one match point.

Good come-back from Tsonga who takes the title and does a happy dance again

Will be tough on Berd and him to fly to Dubai now....

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:

Memphis
Nishikori-Lopez I'm for Nishikori winning his 2nd ATP500 title. Lopez's backhand wasn't exploited well by Sock, but Nishikori will make sure he doesit.

I watched Istomin Lopez last night and was surprised how good Lopez's backhand was in that match, it was really strong and excellent in all departments, quite impressive. Will be cheering for him over Nishi, any day !

A funny thing happened at the "end" there last night.
Lopez was serving for the match and at 40:00 he served what everyone including Istomin and Lopez thought was an ace....so Lopez does his fist-pump-big-grin celebration, handshake at the net etc....and just as they are about to shake the ump's hand he tells them it was a let, which neither of the players originally heard.
So they go back to replay the point, and Lopez loses 4 in a row giving Istomin a break point (Istomin was only a break down) which he chokes away in a silly way, crubmling quickly the next two points away to Lopez, too.
So, Lopez did two celebrations for one match.
I wonder if that's happened before....would've been really funny if Istomin managed to win it in the end.

Glad Tsonga won that match. He has a poor record v Berdych I believe...certainly v Delpo.

What happened to Stan? He was a game up in teh 3rd having broken Ferrer right in the first game. He lost 6 games in a row!!!!

Was that fitness issue? nerves? injury?

no idea. didn't watch. I thought it was much later this evening. Ferrer just ground him to dust I suppose.

Anyway... Niskhori Lopez starts at 9 pm

Lopez is looking pathetic playing like he is 70.
Nishikori with his white bandana looking like kamikaze. Both stupid and ugly.
Can't believe what a shockingly rubbish match in a 500 event final.

not watching....and glad not to...by your comment.